uit are taken as a rule from the King's Bench division, and
when both civil and criminal cases are to be adjudicated they travel
ordinarily in pairs, one attending to the civil and the other to the
criminal business. Judges sit also, without juries, in divisional
courts, composed of two or more members, to hear appeals from inferior
tribunals, motions for new trials, and applications for writs. The
High Court never sits as a single body, nor does even the Chancery or
the King's Bench division.

[Footnote 251: See p. 130.]

*183. Supreme Court of Judicature: the Court of Appeals.*--The second
branch of the Supreme Court of Judicature is the Court of Appeal. This
tribunal is composed of the Master of the Rolls and five Lords
Justices of Appeal, all appointed by the crown upon the advice of the
Lord Chancellor. The presidents of the three divisions of the High
Court are also members, but they rarely participate in the work of the
court; and since 1891 men who have occupied the office of Chancellor
are _ex-officio_ members, although they sit only if they choose to
comply with a request of the Chancellor that they do so. The court
performs its functions regularly in two sections of three members
each, although for some matters the presence of but two judges is
required. Sittings are held only in London. The jurisdiction of the
court is exclusively appellate, and its business consists very largely
in the hearing of appeals in civil cases carried from the High Court.
Prior to 1907 there was no general right of appeal in criminal cases.
By the Criminal Appeal Act of that year, however, there was (p. 175)
established a Court of Criminal Appeal to which any person convicted
may appeal on a question of law and, under stipulated conditions, on a
question of fact also. This tribunal is composed of the Lord Chief
Justice and eight judges of the King's Bench appointed by him with the
assent of the Lord Chancellor. It, therefore, has no immediate
connection with the Court of Appeal.

*184. The House of Lords and the Judicial Committee.*--Of superior
tribunals there are two others of large importance, the House of Lords
and the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. The functions of the
House of Lords as a court of last resort have been described
elsewhere.[252] By the act of 1876 the appellate jurisdiction of the
Lords, withdrawn by the act of 1873, was restored and provision was
made for the strengthenin